National Read Across America Day – Dr. Suess Birthday

Today marks the 20th National Read Across America Day as well as the the birthday of one of my favorite authors Dr. Suess! Did you know Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote 46 Children’s books and sold more than 200 million copies! Geisel was rejected by 28 publishers for his first book ‘And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street (1937)’ and finally was noticed by a company called Random House. Former Random House President Bennett Cerf once remarked, “I’ve published any number of great writers, from William Faulkner to John O’Hara, but there’s only one genius on my authors list. His name is Ted Geisel.” In addition to becoming one of the world’s most loved children’s writers, Ted Geisel worked as a political cartoonist, an advertising illustrator, and a documentary filmmaker. Geisel also wrote other books under the pseudonyms Theo LeSieg and Rosetta Stone.

Just because the people around you don’t understand what you’re doing and what you’re trying to say, never give up. The message that you send to the world through your life is worth telling. Even if you’re rejected once… twice or even 28 times, still don’t give up. Whether you are writing a book to capture the imagination of a child or a speech to captures the hearts of a nation, don’t give up and don’t stay silent. The 29th person may be the one who needs to hear what you have to say.

‘Don’t give up. I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small.’ -Dr. Seuss